UK observatory housing country’s largest telescope faces closure after decades

Jodrell Bank Observatory, home to the UK's largest telescope for nearly 70 years, could close after losing its funding, according to media reports Monday.

Located in Cheshire in northwest England, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is expected to cease all scientific observations on April 1, 2028 unless alternative funding can be found, the BBC reported.

The move follows UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) agency's decision to cut the observatory's annual £2.8 million ($3.7 million) budget as planned research costs for physics and the running of its labs had reportedly escalated.

According to the report, the announcement is one of several deep cuts to astronomy projects being implemented.

The observatory was established in 1945 by radio astronomer Bernard Lovell to investigate cosmic rays following his work on radar during World War II.